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Girl Scouts send care boxes to soldiers

Girl Scouts send care boxes to soldiers

DeSoto County soldiers will have some extra care this holiday thanks to some area Girl Scouts from Olive Branch.

The girls sent 125 Christmas Care boxes to deployed service men and women from DeSoto County.

Olive Branch Girl Scout Junior Troop 10528 started collecting items at Olive Branch Intermediate School.

After a contest, the students in Ms. Montgomery’s class raised more than 200 items to send off to the soldiers.

Family and friends also contributed to the efforts with donations.

Ole Miss studying gardening in space

Ole Miss is on the cutting edge of research that could lead to innovations to help in future droughts.

That sort of innovation would've come in handy in the past year while the U.S. endured one of the worst droughts in its history.

The research is based on answering the question of how to grow edible and useable crops on the moon and Mars.

The research project is even on the International Space Station.

From summer to fall -- delicious pumpkin brownies

From summer to fall -- delicious pumpkin brownies

As we turn the calendar to October and Fall-related activities, the idea of baking becomes more attractive. Here's a recipe that combines fall-favorite pumpkins with all-time favorite brownies, courtesy of Betty Crocker:

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 pkg (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 egg

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Brownies:

1 box Betty Crocker Premium Brownies Ultimate Fudge

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp. water

1 egg

 

Step 1: Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark or non-stick pan). Grease bottom only of a 9-inch square pan with shortening or non-stick spray. In small bowl, beat all filling ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Set aside.

Why you might be better off renting a home

My sources at LowCards.com defied the conventional wisdom of buying a home in this miserable economy to offer four reasons why you might consider renting instead:

* HOUSING PRICES ARE STUCK OR FALLING. On the front end, that sounds like a good thing:  a buyer's market. But a house is an investment. It's no good to buy low if the values are going lower.

Countrywood Neighborhood Sale

Countrywood Neighborhood Sale

Every year, yard sale bargain hunters flock to Cordova, Tennessee for the annual Countrywood Neighborhood Sale sponsored by the Countrywood Neighborhood Association.

On Friday, September 22, the huge yard event will draw crowds from all over the Greater Memphis area and from neighboring states.

Last year the sale was a huge success.  More than 200 residents participated

Rain or shine, the participating vendors will sell their almost brand new or slightly used items from furniture to clothing and televisions to motorized vehicles to make a buck.  Not to mention the local economy benefited as people booked hotel rooms for a few days to stay and visit the grand city of Memphis to shop it’s local stores and dine in local restaurants.

Frequently asked questions:

Good tips in a storm to protect your ID

Good tips in a storm to protect your ID

(WMC-TV) - The last thing you think of as the tornado's barreling down on your house -- is your personal information.

That's why the identity protection experts of ProtectMyID (www.protectmyid.com) suggested taking these precautions in order to secure your identity before the threat of severe weather:

Andy Wise's Save-a-Ton Teriyaki Marinade

Teriyaki -- marinade or sauce -- is a grilling staple. Kosher salt, mill-ground pepper, Worcestershire, teriyaki -- it's one of the basics.

It doesn't price like a grilling basic, though.

Seriously, check the tags on name-brand teriyaki sauces at various grocery stores.  $3.99. $4.99. For 12-16 ounces.

The sauces:  good. Their prices:  lousy.

My recipe for teriyaki sauce/marinade will save you a ton of money on teriyaki, hence "Save-A-Ton Teriyaki Marinade." You'll also make a ton of it, and it keeps forever, sealed in a container inside your refrigerator:

3 cups canola oil

2 cups soy sauce

2 cups honey

1/2 cup tarragon vinegar

1/2 cup chopped white onion

4 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons ground ginger

Whisk the ingredients in a large sauce pan/bowl - no heat.